The LEGO Movie 2 Has Cast Its First New Star

For decades LEGOs have entertained folks young and old as constructive toys (figuratively and literally), while in more recent years they've left their mark through TV shows and video games. Then in 2014, the property made the jump to the big screen with The LEGO Movie, which was a critical and commercial success. Last year Warner Bros delivered the spinoffs The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie, but next year will finally bring the long-awaited direct follow-up to that first movie, The LEGO Movie Sequel. Several of The LEGO Movie's original actors are reprising their characters for The LEGO Movie Sequel, but today brings word that Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish is the first new star to sign on for the sequel.

No details about Tiffany Haddish's character in The LEGO Movie Sequel were provided; THR only describes her as a "key new character." I would imagine this means that she's an original character created specifically for the movie rather than an existing pop culture character, like Will Arnett's Batman. Haddish joins a cast cast that includes Arnett reprising Gotham City's Caped Crusader, Chris Pratt as Emmet, Elizabeth Banks as Wyldstyle, Channing Tatum as Superman and Jonah Hill as Green Lantern.

Tiffany Haddish's resume includes Keanu, If Loving You is Wrong, The Carmichael Show and Legends of Chamberlain Heights, but it was her role as Dina in last year's Girls Trip that propelled her to a new level of stardom. Before The LEGO Movie Sequel arrives next year, she can be seen in the movies Uncle Drew and Night School, while on the television side of things, she'll star in TBS series The Last O.G. and host the upcoming MTV Movie and TV Awards. Since most of Haddish's previous projects have been adult oriented, The LEGO Movie Sequel will be a good way for her to show off her comedic chops to a younger crowd.

No specific plot details for The LEGO Movie Sequel have been released yet, but according to producer Chris McKay, the story will explore the similarities and differences between how boys and girls play with toys. Originally the sequel was supposed by Monster House co-writer Rob Scarab, but due to creative differences, he departed the movie and Trolls director Mike Mitchell was hired as his replacement. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who wrote and directed The LEGO Movie, are among The LEGO Movie Sequel's many producers, and they also rewrote the script.

The LEGO Movie Sequel will assemble itself in theaters on February 8, 2019, and another LEGO spinoff, The Billion Brick Race, is also in development. Stay tuned to CinemaBend for more updates on all things concerning LEGO's cinematic future, and to learn which movies are arriving this year, look through our 2018 release schedule.